B&Q shoppers asked to leave immediately as store shuts after worker tests positive for coronavirus

DIY chain's Wallasey store was set to reopen Wednesday morning after emergency closure a day earlier
B&Q fully reopened all of its branches at the end of April
Getty Images
David Child3 June 2020

DIY chain B&Q was forced to close a major store in north-west England after a member of its staff tested positive for coronavirus.

The branch in Wallasey was shut with immediate effect on Tuesday afternoon, with all shoppers inside told to leave straight away.

A spokesperson for the shop, which is due to reopen on Wednesday morning, told the Liverpool Echo that it was shut for deep cleaning as a "precautionary measure".

The spokesperson said: "We can confirm that our Wallasey store is temporarily closed following a team member receiving a positive (Covid-19) test result.

"Closing the store for deep cleaning is a precautionary measure and goes beyond government advice."

No other B&Q store is believed to be affected by the development.

B&Q fully reopened all of its branches at the end of April after they closed due to the Covid-19 lockdown rolled out by the Government in March.

The firm has since limited the number of customers allowed in its stores at any one time and introduced a range of new safety measures aimed at safeguarding shoppers and staff.

Floor markings in-store signify two-metre social distancing gaps which must be adhered to, while the now contactless-only checkouts have been fitted with Perspex screens to protect staff.

The latest relaxation of lockdown measures, which came into effect on Monday, allowed car dealerships and outdoor markets to reopen from the beginning of this week as officials seek to kick-start the UK's Covid-19 ravaged economy.

The Government plans for all non-essential retail shops to reopen as of June 15, contingent on progress in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and provided businesses can demonstrate their premises are "Covid secure".

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